Football singularity-Chapter 706 DFB Quarter-Final
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[2021-03-02 | ARD Studio, Cologne | DFB-Pokal Quarterfinal Preview Show]
The familiar theme music of *Sportschau* filled living rooms across Germany as the camera panned across the studio. Three figures sat behind the curved desk, illuminated by soft studio lighting. The backdrop displayed the DFB-Pokal trophy rotating slowly, flanked by the crests of the eight remaining teams.
Matthias Opdenhövel, the host, sat in the centre wearing a crisp navy suit. To his left sat Bastian Schweinsteiger, the World Cup winner turned pundit, dressed casually in a tailored blazer over a black t-shirt. On his right was Almuth Schult, the German national team goalkeeper, her blonde hair pulled back, wearing a professional grey blazer.
"Guten Abend and welcome to our DFB-Pokal quarterfinal preview," Opdenhövel began, his voice smooth and practised. "Eight teams remain in Germany’s oldest cup competition, and tomorrow night, we’ll see the first two matches that will decide who advances to the semifinals."
The screen behind them shifted to show highlights from the previous round—dramatic goals, penalty shootouts, and underdog celebrations.
"Let’s start with the headline everyone’s been talking about," Opdenhövel continued, leaning forward. "Defending champions Bayer Leverkusen’s demolition of Freiburg this past Sunday. Five-one at the BayArena. Bastian, you were there for the analysis. What did you make of it?"
Schweinsteiger nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips. "It was a statement, Matthias. A proper statement. After grinding out that one-nil win against Augsburg with the rotated squad, there were questions about whether Leverkusen could maintain their level with fixture congestion. Bosz answered emphatically."
The screen showed Schick’s opening header, Rakim’s finish, and Wirtz’s clinical strike. "Patrik Schick with a brace, Rakim Rex with two goals, including that absolute rocket from twenty-five meters in the seventy-third minute," Schweinsteiger continued, gesturing toward the screen. "Florian Wirtz added another. This is a team firing on all cylinders."
"And they’re doing it while rotating," Schult interjected, leaning into the conversation. "That’s what impressed me most. They rested key players against Augsburg, brought them back for Freiburg, and looked even sharper. That depth is crucial when you’re competing in three competitions."
Opdenhövel nodded. "Let’s talk about Rakim Rex specifically. Seventeen years old, two goals against Freiburg, including that long-range strike. He now has what—Twenty-Seven goals in all competitions this season?"
Schweinsteiger corrected. "Twenty goals and fifteen assists in the Bundesliga alone. Those are numbers that would be impressive for a player in his prime, let alone a teenager still eligible for the U19s."
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"There’s been talk about him potentially making Joachim Löw’s squad for the Euros this summer," Opdenhövel noted. "Is that realistic, Bastian?"
Schweinsteiger paused, choosing his words carefully. "Realistically? I don’t know, only Jogi does. But if he continues this form, maintains this level through the end of the season, especially if Leverkusen go deep in the Champions League..." He trailed off, spreading his hands. "Löw would have to consider it at least. The boy is special."
"But tomorrow," Opdenhövel redirected, "Leverkusen face a very different challenge. Rot-Weiss Essen in the DFB-Pokal quarterfinals. A fourth-division side. On paper, it should be straightforward. But we all know cup football doesn’t work that way."
The screen shifted to show Essen’s crest and highlights of their cup run—scrappy goals, wild celebrations, in empty stadiums as passionate fans flooded social media.
"Essen has been the dark horse story of this cup," Schult said, her voice warming with genuine admiration. "They’ve knocked out Arminia Bielefeld, then survived a penalty shootout against Leverkusen’s local rivals Bayer Uerdingen. They’ve already exceeded expectations just by reaching the quarterfinals."
"But can they go further?" Opdenhövel pressed.
Schweinsteiger leaned back, crossing his arms. "Look, I respect what Essen has done. I played in enough cup matches to know that on any given day, anything can happen. But this Leverkusen side is a different beast entirely that the league can barely deal with. This isn’t a struggling Bundesliga side they’re facing—this is the league leaders, Champions League quarter-finalists, a team whose efforts seemed to align for the season."
"You think it’s a formality then?" Opdenhövel asked. "I think Bosz will rotate heavily," Schweinsteiger replied. "He has to. They have Gladbach in the Bundesliga on Saturday, then Dortmund in the Champions League in early April. He can’t afford injuries to key players against a fourth-division side. But even a rotated Leverkusen squad should have far too much quality."
Schult nodded but raised a finger. "The danger is complacency. If Leverkusen come out thinking it’s already won, if they underestimate Essen’s spirit and organisation, they could find themselves in a battle. Remember, Essen will be playing the match of their lives. Every player on that pitch will give everything."
"What would you do if you were Bosz?" Opdenhövel asked.
"Start strong," Schweinsteiger said immediately. "Don’t give them hope. Score early, kill the tie as a contest, then manage minutes. Bring on the youngsters, give the fringe players game time, but make sure the result is never in doubt."
"Almuth?"
Schult pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I’d be worried about set pieces. That’s where lower-league sides can hurt big teams. They’ll pack the box, throw everything at it, and if you’re not switched on..." She shrugged. "One goal could change everything. Suddenly, there’s belief, and it becomes a different match."
"No crowd does take away Essen’s biggest advantage," Opdenhövel agreed. "The atmosphere, the intimidation factor. Playing in an empty stadium almost levels the playing field."
"Almost," Schweinsteiger emphasised. "But quality still wins out. And Leverkusen have it in abundance."
The screen transitioned to show the other quarterfinal matches. "Let’s discuss the other ties," Opdenhövel said. "We have Borussia Mönchengladbach hosting Dortmund in what should be a fantastic match. Two Bundesliga giants going head-to-head."
"That’s the tie I’m most excited about," Schweinsteiger admitted, his eyes lighting up. "Gladbach have been inconsistent this season, but on their day, they can beat anyone. And Dortmund, well, they have Haaland. Sancho. Reus when he’s fit. That’s a dangerous attacking trio."
"Dortmund are the favourites, surely?" Opdenhövel suggested.
"Slight favourites," Schweinsteiger agreed. "But Gladbach at Borussia-Park, even without fans, is never easy. Marco Rose has them playing attractive football, and they have quality throughout the squad. I think it goes to extra time."
Schult nodded. "I agree. That match could go either way. Both teams will be thinking about their league positions too—Dortmund fighting for Champions League qualification, Gladbach trying to climb into Europa League spots. Do they risk injuries in the cup or prioritise the league?"
"The eternal question," Opdenhövel mused. "Then we have Jahn Regensburg hosting Werder Bremen. Another potential upset?"
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Opdenhövel shuffled his papers, glancing at the camera. "So predictions then. Let’s start with tomorrow’s matches. Bastian, Rot-Weiss Essen versus Bayer Leverkusen?"
Schweinsteiger didn’t hesitate. "Leverkusen three, Essen nil. Professional performance, no drama."
"Almuth?"
Schult smiled wryly. "I want to say Essen will make it interesting, but realistically... Leverkusen four, Essen one. Essen get a consolation goal, but the class difference is too much."
"I’ll go with Leverkusen winning comfortably," Opdenhövel said. "Three-nil sounds about right. Und Gladbach-Dortmund?"
"Dortmund two, Gladbach one," Schweinsteiger predicted. "Close match, decided by individual quality."
"I think Gladbach wins on penalties," Schult countered. "One-one after extra time, then Gladbach’s experience tells in the shootout."
They continued through the other matches, debating tactical approaches and key matchups. The conversation flowed naturally, peppered with anecdotes and good-natured disagreements.
"One last question before we go," Opdenhövel said, glancing at his notes. "If Leverkusen do advance tomorrow—when they advance," he corrected with a knowing smile, "they could potentially face Dortmund in the semifinals. That would be a repeat of their Bundesliga clash earlier this season, which Leverkusen won two-one. And, of course, they’re meeting in the Champions League quarterfinals in April. Bastian, is there any scenario where these two teams get sick of facing each other?"
Schweinsteiger laughed. "In a normal season? Maybe. But this is why we love football, no? These are the matches everyone wants to see. The best against the best. If it happens in the DFB-Pokal semifinal, after they’ve already met in the Champions League, it would be incredible."
"Though exhausting for the players," Schult added with a grin.
"True," Schweinsteiger conceded. "But that’s the price of competing for everything. Leverkusen want the treble? They’ll have to go through Dortmund potentially three times. That’s the challenge."
Opdenhövel turned to face the camera directly. "Well, we’ll find out tomorrow night if Leverkusen take the first step. Coverage begins at seven-thirty, with kickoff at eight. Thank you to Bastian and Almuth for joining us, and thank you to everyone watching. We’ll see you tomorrow for what promises to be a fascinating evening of cup football. Gute Nacht!"
The theme music swelled as the camera pulled back, showing the three pundits chatting casually as the credits began to roll.
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. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞
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To Be Continued...
